Election results 2022: PM Modi sees BJP win as indicator of 2024 outcome

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the government's economic measures and social welfare steps had put India on track in these circumstances

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday exuded confidence that the UP Assembly verdict this time was an indication of what will happen in the general elections, which are more than two years away, in the same way the state poll results five years ago indicated the shape of the Lok Sabha polls of 2019.

He also spoke of a possible rise in prices of petrol, diesel, edible oils, fertilisers, coal, and gas due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Addressing BJP workers at the party’s headquarters here after the Assembly elections showed that it came back to power in four states, Modi said: “Some poll pundits did not find anything surprising in the verdict of the 2019 general elections when we came back to power. They had said it was clear from the 2017 poll verdict in UP. I believe these pundits would also say that the 2022 verdict had decided the fate of the 2024 general elections results.”

The prime minister said Covid-19 had adversely affected supply chains in the world for two years and now the ongoing war (between Russia and Ukraine) had aggravated it.

“The global prices of the crude oil, palm oil, and sunflower oil that India imports are rising at a fast pace. Also, prices of coal, gas and fertilisers are going up at an exorbitant rate in the world. Inflation is up due to the war. Developing countries are particularly hit,” he pointed out.

The ongoing war has affected every country directly and indirectly. India has political, economic, educational, security relations with the countries directly engaged in war and her various needs are linked to these countries, Modi said.

He emphasised the government's economic measures and social welfare steps had put India on track in these circumstances. India survived because “we framed policies on the basis of the ground realities”, the prime minister said.

“In this global context, amid these difficulties, if we look at the Budget this time, a belief arises that the country is moving ahead on the path of the self-reliant India campaign. This sentiment is further fuelled by this Budget,” Modi said.

The prime minister said Indians were working for the country in every way possible.

“However, there are some people who are lowering the standards of politics in our country. The world is appreciating our efforts to vaccinate but on this sacred work, India's vaccine has been questioned.”

"It is unfortunate that even when thousands of Indian students and other citizens were stranded in Ukraine, there was talk of breaking the morale of the country,” he added. “It is a day of zest and festivities and this enthusiasm is for India's democracy,” Modi said, while following its win in the four state polls, and described it as “jeet ka chauka”.

The prime minister said governance delivery had become better and transparent in the past few years, while delivering the poor their rights.